Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Chet Lesniak

Abstract

Previous research has found that deployment may impact military spouses’ emotional wellbeing and attachment with family members. There remains a critical gap in the literature regarding difference in stress levels between military spouses who own canines and those who do not. The theoretical foundations for this study were Bowlby’s attachment theory and Bowen’s family systems theory. Research questions included exploring the relationships between (a) pet canine ownership, deployment length of time, and military spouses’ stress levels, and (b) pet canine owners’ pet attachment and stress experienced, when their significant others are deployed. The sample comprised 82 spouses with deployed military members who either owned or did not own canines. Participants were selected using the purposive sampling technique. Data collection methods involved using the Pet Attachment Scale and Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale. Two- and one-way analyses of covariance tests were used to analyze data. There were no significant differences stress levels based on deployment, attachment levels, or stress during deployment. These findings were inconsistent with the previous literature involving significant associations between stress and pet attachment. These findings may reflect limitations of the study in that it was focused solely on spouses and canine pets. Further research could be beneficial if it included other family members and pets. Positive social change may be enhanced if strategies are used to support emotional wellbeing of spouses and pets following military deployment.

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